VALLEY/VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS

Tolson, Hicks Enjoy Outdoor Party at Home

Track and field: Matadors qualify for NCAA championships in June with performances at Northridge Invitational.

NORTHRIDGE — Christina Tolson and Cheree Hicks of Cal State Northridge qualified for the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in June by unleashing big throws in the Northridge Invitational on Saturday.

Tolson, a sophomore who finished a disappointing 15th in the shotput in the NCAA indoor championships in Indianapolis on March 14, won the hammer with a personal best of 189 feet 2 inches.

The mark topped her previous school record by 10 feet and exceeded the automatic qualifying standard of 187-0 for the NCAA championships.

It also helped Northridge to a 1-2 finish as Matador senior Beth Burton threw 180-9.

"It felt good, but I had no idea it was that far," Tolson said of her record throw.

"I actually thought it might have been a foul because it was close to the sector line, but it stayed in."

Dawn Dumble of the Reebok Track Club won the women's discus at 188-9, but Hicks finished second at 180-2 to tie her school record and exceed the NCAA qualifying standard of 178-10.

"I was just hoping for a good [technical] throw," Hicks said.

"I try not to set a goal based on distance because if you think about that goal, you tend not to get it."

The performances by Tolson and Hicks led Northridge's efforts in the Matadors' first outdoor meet of the season.

The Northridge men and women won 10 of 14 relays, but many of those victories came against weak fields.

Most events lacked the depth of previous years, but stadium records were set in the men's 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 meters.

Tyree Washington of Reebok, the bronze medalist in the 400 in last year's World Championships, won the 200 in an eased-up 20.79 seconds.

Sanderiel Parrela of Brazil took the 400 in 45.31 and countryman Hogsoo Souza won the 1,500 in 3:41.46.

Soon-Hyung Kim of China placed first in the 800 in 1:48.26.

Northridge senior Jamie Whitmore suffered a gash to her foot when she was nicked by a javelin while warming down on a practice field after running on the Matadors' victorious 6,400 relay.